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Postterm closure of the cavum septi pellucidi and developmental outcome in premature infants
Howard Needelman1, Bruce Schroeder, Matthew Sweeney
1Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5440, USA. hneedelm@unmc.edu
Insights
The cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) in premature infants often closes by term. Persistence of CSP in these infants does not impact developmental outcomes, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurology
- Developmental pediatrics
- Neuroimaging in infants
Background:
- The cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a midline brain structure.
- Premature infants born at 26-27 weeks gestation may exhibit delayed CSP closure.
- Understanding CSP natural history is crucial for assessing neurodevelopmental risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the natural history of cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) closure in extremely premature infants.
- To compare developmental outcomes between infants with and without persistent CSP at term-equivalent age.
- To determine if persistent CSP is an independent risk factor for developmental delay.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal ultrasound follow-up of 72 premature infants (26-27 weeks gestation).
- Assessment of CSP status at approximately term-equivalent age (35-42 weeks postconception).
- Comparison of neurodevelopmental outcomes between infants with and without persistent CSP.
Main Results:
- 35 out of 72 infants had persistent CSP visualized on ultrasound at term-equivalent age.
- No significant difference in developmental outcomes was observed between infants with and without persistent CSP.
- Early closure of CSP did not correlate with improved developmental outcomes compared to persistent CSP.
Conclusions:
- Persistence of the cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) through term-equivalent age is common in extremely premature infants.
- Persistent CSP is not an independent risk factor for developmental delay in this cohort.
- Current findings suggest a need to re-evaluate the clinical significance of persistent CSP in neonatal neurodevelopmental assessments.
Abstract:
The authors report the natural history of closure of the cavum Septi pellucidi in premature infants 26 to 27 weeks postconception at birth and compare the developmental outcome in these infants who had closure by 42 weeks postconception to those who still had a cavum septum pellucidi visualized on ultrasound at approximately term (35-42 weeks). Of 72 patients, 35 patients still had a cavum septum pellucidi visualized on the last ultrasound done between 35 and 42 weeks postconception, and the developmental outcome of these patients was no different from those with earlier closure. The authors conclude that persistence of a cavum septi pellucidi through term is not an independent risk factor for developmental delay.
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